Lord of the Mai-tais cocktail

"Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the sheer frustration of not having the means to brew coconut rum."

An entry from Tim Federle's Tequalia Mockingbird: Cocktails With A Literary Twist caused us to wonder how differently Lord of the Flies could have been had the boys discovered how to use the island's resources for more relaxed pursuits. Would the group have descended into savagery all the more quickly, or would they have put aside their quarrels in order to nurse grand hangovers?

One of William Golding's most beloved works gains its own cocktail twist in Federle's work, with the aptly named Lord of the Mai-Tais. Best served in a conch shell should you happen to have one lying about, to make this cocktail you will require:

Two ounces of cranberry juice

Two ounces of orange juice

One and a half ounces of light rum

One ounce of coconut rum

One teaspoon of grenadine syrup

An orange slice or pineapple wedge, for optional garnish

Directions

Shake the ingredients with ice - odds are, it'll all turn out bloody red - and pour everything, including the ice, into a Collins glass. Get creative with the tropical garnishes: pineapples, oranges, eye of piglet...